Donated items in food sculptures will stock the pantry.
By Christy Romero
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
Social work Professor Lisa Black is asking students, faculty and staff to name the anti-poverty initiative created to help students on campus with basic food, clothing and economic needs.
Along with Tiffany Cox Hernandez, chair of public policy and service, Black wants students, faculty and staff to opt in on naming the program.
“We want to give it a name, and we want it to come from the community,” Black said.
There are no specific rules as to what this initiative should be named. As long as it says something about “who we are as a college” and how they are helping students, Black said.
The initiative began early this semester and helps students meet their economic needs with resource services like Women, Infants Children and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. Interns also refer students to resources to help with utility bills and rent.
The name will be announced Nov. 15 during a food sculpture contest in the mall, and the food pantry is expected to open Nov. 16.
Students, faculty and staff may send name suggestions until Nov. 4 to sac-socw@alamo.edu.
Black and Hernandez will narrow the nominations to three names.
Then the public relations office will send those names to faculty, staff and students through ACES email Nov. 7.
Voting on the top three choices will take place Nov. 7- 11.
A food sculpture contest on campus Nov. 15 will call attention to the program.
Student organizations and faculty and staff teams can sign up to collect a category of food for the pantry. Then on Nov. 15, the groups will build sculptures in the mall with the food items they have collected.
Awards will be given to the teams that participate in the creative food display contest.
“They’ll put out their displays, and there will be awards for most creative, most SAC proud and most food items. All of the food that is collected will go to the food pantry. and that is what will launch the food pantry for students and staff in the college,” Black said.
The food pantry is expected to open Nov. 16 in Room 326 of Chance Academic Center. The pantry will be open 8 a.m.- 5p.m. Monday and Wednesday through Friday, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. on Tuesday and 9 a.m.-1 p .m. on the first Saturday of the month.
To register a group for the contest, students must contact Alycia Speasmaker at acastillo351@alamo.edu.
Faculty will register with Hernandez at tcox29@alamo.edu, and staff teams with Dee Dixon at ldixon4@alamo.edu.
Groups can choose from the 16 priority items including beans, boxed skillet meals, canned luncheon meats, canned soups, canned vegetables, cereal, chili, jelly, macaroni and cheese, oatmeal, pasta, peanut butter, pop-top food items, rice, saltine crackers, and tomato sauce.
For information, email Black at lblack13@alamo.edu.